University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Baseball Announces 2008 Team Awards
5/19/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
The Minnesota baseball team announced its team awards at the annual team banquet at the Medina Gold and Country Club on Sunday, May 18. The Golden Gophers gave out eight awards, including the Richard "Chief" Siebert Most Valuable Player, the Dianne Olson-Ficenko Dugout Club Player of the Year, the Paul Molitor Batting Champion, the Dave Winfield Pitcher of the Year, the Paul Fortin Scholarship/Athlete Award, the George Thomas Most Improved Player Award, the David Chelesnik Scholarship Award and the Teammate of the Year Award.
Jeff DeSmidt received the Dick Siebert Most Valuable Player honors. DeSmidt became the fifth catcher in the history of the program to claim the honors joining Jake Elder (2005), Shane Gunderson (1995), Dan Wilson (1990) and Mike Halloran (1987). DeSmidt led the Golden Gophers in home runs (9), RBI (50), slugging percentage (.587), on-base percentage (.446) and was second in batting average at .371. He was also tied for seventh in the Big Ten in home runs (9), was seventh in RBI and fifth in slugging percentage. DeSmidt's nine home runs in 2008 were the most by a Golden Gopher catcher since Gunderson collected 13 in 1995 and received First-Team All-American honors.
Senior student manager Kevin Criter (Chilton, Wis.) was named the Dianne Olson-Ficenko Dugout Club Player of the Year. Criter, who graduated from with a degree in Sports Management last week, was a four-year student manager for the Golden Gophers who was an integral part of the program behind the scenes. He was the first non-player to claim the honor since it began in 1985.
Matt Nohelty (Rothschild, Wis.) received the Paul Molitor Batting Champion Award for having the highest batting average on the season for the second time in three years. Nohelty joined Luke Appert, Robb Quinlan and Mark Merila as the only two-time recipients of the Paul Molitor Batting Champion honor. Nohelty batted .397 with 53 runs, 39 RBI, 24 stolen bases and 94 hits. The .397 batting average was the highest by a Golden Gopher since Sam Steidl batted .401 in 2001. His 94 hits were the most by a Minnesota player since 1999 when Quinlan and Matt Scanlon had 107 and 97 respectively. Nohelty is currently first in the Big Ten in hits, fifth in batting average, seventh in runs scored and tied for eighth in total bases.
Nohelty also received the Paul Fortin Scholarship/Athlete Award. Earlier this year, he claimed Academic All-District honors. He was also a Third-Team Academic All-American in 2007, and is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree. He is the first player in the Golden Gopher history to claim the Paul Fortin Scholarship/Athletic Award and the Paul Molitor batting title in the same year.
Senior Dustin Brabender (Oregon, Wis.) was named the Dave Winfield Pitcher of the Year. Brabender finished the season tied with a team-high four wins, and collected 16 in his career at Minnesota. He had a quality final career outing, as he gave up nine hits, one earned runs, walked two and struck out five in 7.2 innings against Penn State on May 17. He finished his Golden Gopher career eighth in all-time innings pitched at 259.0, and started 44 games in his career at Minnesota. The last two years, Brabender has saved his best outing for the last one of the year. Along with this year's Penn State outing, last year he shut out No. 4 San Diego for eighth innings and eventually got a no-decision in a 6-5 10-inning Minnesota victory over the Toreros in the NCAA Regional.
Redshirt freshman Scott Matyas (North Prairie, Wis.) received the George Thomas Most Improved Player. After redshirting his first year at Minnesota, Matyas tied with a team-high 18 appearances, and went 3-4 with a 4.45 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 32.1 innings. He had a 3-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio (33-to-11), and 9.19 strikeouts-per-nine innings this year. Matyas was also the first Golden Gopher pitcher since Matt Loberg in 2005 to receive Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors twice in the same season.
One of the most prestigious honors in the program, the David Chelesnik Scholarship Award, was given to Jeremy Chlan The award is presented to an athlete who best demonstrates the special qualities of courage, determination and perseverance that were exhibited by David Chelesnik. The special scholarship is given in memory of an outstanding student-athlete who died of bone cancer on Labor Day, 1984, after completing one year of a lifelong dream - to play for the Golden Gophers. Chlan had his best season as a Golden Gopher, as he batted .296 with 25 runs, 23 RBI and had 11 doubles. In Big Ten play, Chlan batted .329 with 14 runs and 12 RBI.
Minnesota awarded the Teammate of the Year Award for the fourth year, given to the player whose attitude and actions most represent that team philosophy of the Golden Gophers program. Senior Tom Steidl (Alexandria, Minn.) received the honor for the second year in a row, making him the only player to collect an award for the second year in a row. After playing 34 games in his first three years, Steidl played in 43 games, started 29 and batted .292 with 20 runs and 14 RBI. He started the final 22 games at first base, and 24 of the final 25 games at that position. Steidl also batted .321 with 16 runs and 11 RBI in Big Ten play.
Jeff DeSmidt received the Dick Siebert Most Valuable Player honors. DeSmidt became the fifth catcher in the history of the program to claim the honors joining Jake Elder (2005), Shane Gunderson (1995), Dan Wilson (1990) and Mike Halloran (1987). DeSmidt led the Golden Gophers in home runs (9), RBI (50), slugging percentage (.587), on-base percentage (.446) and was second in batting average at .371. He was also tied for seventh in the Big Ten in home runs (9), was seventh in RBI and fifth in slugging percentage. DeSmidt's nine home runs in 2008 were the most by a Golden Gopher catcher since Gunderson collected 13 in 1995 and received First-Team All-American honors.
Senior student manager Kevin Criter (Chilton, Wis.) was named the Dianne Olson-Ficenko Dugout Club Player of the Year. Criter, who graduated from with a degree in Sports Management last week, was a four-year student manager for the Golden Gophers who was an integral part of the program behind the scenes. He was the first non-player to claim the honor since it began in 1985.
Matt Nohelty (Rothschild, Wis.) received the Paul Molitor Batting Champion Award for having the highest batting average on the season for the second time in three years. Nohelty joined Luke Appert, Robb Quinlan and Mark Merila as the only two-time recipients of the Paul Molitor Batting Champion honor. Nohelty batted .397 with 53 runs, 39 RBI, 24 stolen bases and 94 hits. The .397 batting average was the highest by a Golden Gopher since Sam Steidl batted .401 in 2001. His 94 hits were the most by a Minnesota player since 1999 when Quinlan and Matt Scanlon had 107 and 97 respectively. Nohelty is currently first in the Big Ten in hits, fifth in batting average, seventh in runs scored and tied for eighth in total bases.
Nohelty also received the Paul Fortin Scholarship/Athlete Award. Earlier this year, he claimed Academic All-District honors. He was also a Third-Team Academic All-American in 2007, and is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree. He is the first player in the Golden Gopher history to claim the Paul Fortin Scholarship/Athletic Award and the Paul Molitor batting title in the same year.
Senior Dustin Brabender (Oregon, Wis.) was named the Dave Winfield Pitcher of the Year. Brabender finished the season tied with a team-high four wins, and collected 16 in his career at Minnesota. He had a quality final career outing, as he gave up nine hits, one earned runs, walked two and struck out five in 7.2 innings against Penn State on May 17. He finished his Golden Gopher career eighth in all-time innings pitched at 259.0, and started 44 games in his career at Minnesota. The last two years, Brabender has saved his best outing for the last one of the year. Along with this year's Penn State outing, last year he shut out No. 4 San Diego for eighth innings and eventually got a no-decision in a 6-5 10-inning Minnesota victory over the Toreros in the NCAA Regional.
Redshirt freshman Scott Matyas (North Prairie, Wis.) received the George Thomas Most Improved Player. After redshirting his first year at Minnesota, Matyas tied with a team-high 18 appearances, and went 3-4 with a 4.45 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 32.1 innings. He had a 3-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio (33-to-11), and 9.19 strikeouts-per-nine innings this year. Matyas was also the first Golden Gopher pitcher since Matt Loberg in 2005 to receive Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors twice in the same season.
One of the most prestigious honors in the program, the David Chelesnik Scholarship Award, was given to Jeremy Chlan The award is presented to an athlete who best demonstrates the special qualities of courage, determination and perseverance that were exhibited by David Chelesnik. The special scholarship is given in memory of an outstanding student-athlete who died of bone cancer on Labor Day, 1984, after completing one year of a lifelong dream - to play for the Golden Gophers. Chlan had his best season as a Golden Gopher, as he batted .296 with 25 runs, 23 RBI and had 11 doubles. In Big Ten play, Chlan batted .329 with 14 runs and 12 RBI.
Minnesota awarded the Teammate of the Year Award for the fourth year, given to the player whose attitude and actions most represent that team philosophy of the Golden Gophers program. Senior Tom Steidl (Alexandria, Minn.) received the honor for the second year in a row, making him the only player to collect an award for the second year in a row. After playing 34 games in his first three years, Steidl played in 43 games, started 29 and batted .292 with 20 runs and 14 RBI. He started the final 22 games at first base, and 24 of the final 25 games at that position. Steidl also batted .321 with 16 runs and 11 RBI in Big Ten play.
Players Mentioned
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